Study finds gender stereotypes in STEM fields start early

By Stephen Beech

Children think boys are better than girls at computing and engineering by six years of age, according to a new study.

Researchers found youngsters develop gender stereotypes about computer science and engineering, viewing boys as more capable than girls.

But stereotypes are far less gendered when it comes to maths, according to a global study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).

The researchers say their findings, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, show that young children do not view all science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) fields as the same.

The study by AIR, a not-for-profit organization with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, is the largest ever of children’s gender stereotypes regarding STEM and verbal abilities, based on data from 145,000 children across 33 nations.

The AIR team led a comprehensive review of 98 studies, spanning data from 1977 to 2020.

Study lead author Dr. David Miller, senior researcher at AIR, said “The early emergence of these biases signals that kids acquire messages about computing and engineering stereotypes at home and in other environments before K‑12 schooling.

“Parents, early childhood educators, and out-of-school-time programs have a key role to play in helping to reshape these narratives.”

He said as girls age, their male-STEM bias increases, which could potentially limit their future aspirations for fast-growing tech fields, such as artificial intelligence.

The study also found that, at all ages, math stereotypes remain far less gendered than computing or engineering stereotypes, contrary to assumptions that “girls are bad at maths” is a widespread belief.

While boys are seen as better in physics, the findings showed that girls are seen as better in biology, showing notable divides even within science fields.

Girls are also seen as far superior in verbal domains, such as reading and writing – a belief that emerges by the age of eight and strengthens with age.

Dr. Miller says the results "make clear" the need for targeted interventions.

He added: “Initiatives focused on ‘girls in math’ or ‘girls in STEM’ may fall short of addressing the most entrenched male-biased beliefs.

“These initiatives need dedicated attention on girls in computing and engineering, especially in early childhood, before these stereotypes set in.”